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WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Seinfeld

16 votes

Cheers

14 votes

Frayed Knot Feb 09 2011 12:00 PM

The final quarterfinal match puts up shows that were barely contemporaries (three season overlap) but just about occupied the same time-slot for most of a decade and a half. #2 seed 'Cheers', which was the original 9PM NBC show for 'must watch' Thursdays, takes on Dick Van Dyke slayer and later NBC 9PM stalwart #7 seed 'Seinfeld' Only one gets to participate in 'Must Vote Semis'

Willets Point Feb 09 2011 12:01 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Norm!

Benjamin Grimm Feb 09 2011 12:13 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Cheers. Both shows started a lot stronger than they finished (which isn't at all atypical) but Cheers was watchable to the end, and I had to bail on Seinfeld long before the final season.

Edgy DC Feb 09 2011 12:15 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Being that Cheers started with shallow people who grew deeper as time passed, and Seinfeld started with shallower people who grew still shallower as time passed, the latter doesn't offer as much on re-watching once you've got the gags memorized.

themetfairy Feb 09 2011 12:40 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

I love both shows, but ultimately raise my glass to Cheers.

Frayed Knot Feb 09 2011 01:22 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Edgy DC wrote: Being that Cheers started with shallow people who grew deeper as time passed, and Seinfeld started with shallower people who grew still shallower as time passed, the latter doesn't offer as much on re-watching once you've got the gags memorized. To me, Seinfeld held up much better in reruns. OK the last few seasons didn't, but the last few seasons of most shows don't either. Also not buying the part about the characters on Cheers growing deeper. Cheers at its peak was better. I'm going to have to think about this one for a while.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 09 2011 01:24 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

The peaks were similar. Seinfeld had more cultural impact, Cheers had a longer, richer run. When Cheers was bad, it was a little dull. When Seinfeld was bad, it was kinda hateful and misanthropic... and not in edifying ways. All else being equal-- and it almost is, in my book-- the edge goes to the amiable.

Edgy DC Feb 09 2011 01:26 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

^ That ^

Ashie62 Feb 09 2011 01:33 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Uncle Leo is going to get all you Cheers voters..

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 09 2011 02:01 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Normie! HELLO!

soupcan Feb 09 2011 02:04 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Seinfeld.

G-Fafif Feb 09 2011 03:10 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

I missed the Sam-Diane dynamic and I missed Sam seeming like Da Man once Shelley Long took a hike. In succeeding seasons, he was just dumb. Before that there was a savvy to him that was undermined by his unworldliness. The sadness of the Rebecca years tend to overwhelm my satisfaction from the Diane years. Seinfeld grew cartoony, but there was always enough to like in the cartoon.

TheOldMole Feb 09 2011 04:47 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Cheers was funnier, but neither of these will get my vote in the next round.

Fman99 Feb 09 2011 07:24 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Loved both of these shows but voted for Seinfeld.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 09 2011 07:31 PM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

yeah, I think Cheers wins. Seinfeld to me alnost seems a post-sitcom.

HahnSolo Feb 11 2011 08:16 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Nudging this up top since it is tied and we have only a few hours until voting closes.

Nymr83 Feb 11 2011 08:25 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

HahnSolo wrote: Nudging this up top since it is tied and we have only a few hours until voting closes. I broke the tie, NO SOUP FOR YOU! (and i dont remember a single iconic line or supporting character from Cheers, I voted for Seinfeld because its just more memorable to me)

TheOldMole Feb 11 2011 08:32 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Soup for the soup Nazi?

Edgy DC Feb 11 2011 08:32 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

I remember 10 iconic lines from Welcome Back, Kotter, but...

metsmarathon Feb 11 2011 08:40 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Nymr83 wrote: HahnSolo wrote: Nudging this up top since it is tied and we have only a few hours until voting closes. I broke the tie, NO SOUP FOR YOU! (and i dont remember a single iconic line or supporting character from Cheers, I voted for Seinfeld because its just more memorable to me) NORM!

Benjamin Grimm Feb 11 2011 08:46 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Norm. Cliff. Carla. Frasier. Coach. Woody. Paul. All memorable. (Okay, maybe not Paul.)

Edgy DC Feb 11 2011 08:49 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Exactly, if it's about "iconic lines" then Happy Days wins. But language was a big part of Seinfeld. Cheers was about characters and relationships.

Frayed Knot Feb 11 2011 08:54 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Yeah, not Paul. The mere existence of Paul was one of the problems as that show went on. Part of the charm, of course, was that a bar is usually full of some pretty pathetic people. Norm had almost nothing going on in his life, but even he could make fun of Cliff. Paul seemed to be created just so there'd be someone even more pathetic than Cliff. And, by the end, there was probably no one more pathetic than Rebecca. No show to me was funnier when it first came out; literally laugh out loud while you're watching by yourself funny. But that didn't hold up for me as well over the years and it's the one sit-com I watched regularly during its time that never appealed to me in re-runs. So my Seinfeldian vote late last night was the one that tied it up (and, no, I didn't do that on purpose ... in fact I had no idea where the vote stood when I cast mine).

Ashie62 Feb 13 2011 08:43 AM Re: WS of Sit-coms Q-finals #4 -- Seinfeld vs Cheers

Got to "Love the Drake."